Fantasy sports: Bye weeks make for slim pickings around NFL

The rest of the league can finally catch its breath — the Denver Broncos are on their bye week.

Then again, maybe it came at the worst possible time, just a week after Peyton Manning looked like he may be human.

The Denver quarterback threw three interceptions last Sunday against the Redskins, doubling his season total. He also tossed four more touchdown passes, though, giving him 29 on the season and keeping Manning on track to pat Tom Brady gently on the head as he cruises by his single-season record of 50.

Manning also could flirt with 6,000 yards passing, sitting at 2,919 halfway through the season. He could take a game off and still look like a good bet to give his patented aw-shucks look to Drew Brees as he surpasses the Saints' QB's record of 5,476 yards.

For added perspective, Manning has that reasonable shot at 6,000 after there have been only six seasons of 5,000 — and three of those are from Brees' free-slinging arm.

Even that isn't enough perspective to portray what is going on in Denver, though. So know that the Broncos have scored 343 points this season, more than 100 points beyond what any other team has posted.

This has led to much fantasy gold beyond Manning. Wes Welker leads the league with nine receiving touchdowns, with tight end Julius Thomas tied for second at eight. Demaryius Thomas is tied for ninth with six, while also checking in at third in the league in receiving yards (685). That is also where Eric Decker enters the picture, ranked sixth with 669.

The Broncos haven't ruled the league only through the air, however, as running back Knowshon Moreno is at the top of the NFL heap with eight rushing touchdowns.

The 49ers also have their feet up, so you won't be able to enjoy the services of Frank Gore (618 rushing yards, seven touchdowns) and tight end Vernon Davis (29 catches, 518 yards, 7 touchdowns).

And just when it seemed the Giants may be remembering they are led by a two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback, Victor Cruz (47 catches, 677 yards, four touchdowns) will spend a week not catching passes from that other Manning.

Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse, it turns out the Jaguars are also off this week, so you can't just plug in their opponents.

Part of the reason that the 2-6 Giants are looking like they could still do something, though, is because they play in the NFC East. Part of the reason the NFC East looks so ripe to be had is because the only two teams to be allowing more than 300 passing yards per game reside there in the form of the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles.

The Vikings get the pleasure of facing the Cowboys today. Fantasy owners get the displeasure, however, of having the Vikings face the Cowboys today. Christian Ponder has been chosen to remain under center for Minnesota, but even against the NFL's worst passing defense, it is difficult to put much hope in someone who isn't the clear front-runner in a quarterback controversy that also involves Josh Freeman and Matt Cassel. The fact that he has more than twice as many interceptions (five) as touchdowns (two) also is a bit of a red flag.

Still, if you are looking for a receiver plug-in for the week, you could do worse than Jerome Simpson, who leads the Vikings with 422 receiving yards but remains largely a fantasy unknown since he hasn't scored a touchdown.

At quarterback, however, one would do better by hoping that the Raiders' Terrelle Pryor can take advantage of the Eagles.

Sure, he also has thrown more interceptions (seven) than touchdowns (five), but at least he can run. Pryor actually leads Oakland with 391 rushing yards, so that puts him ahead of Ponder.

For those who aren't like the Raiders and require an actual running back for rushing yards, it might be time to start Pittsburgh's Le'Veon Bell. The Steelers rookie missed the first three games with injury and is averaging only 3.3 yards a carry, but faces a New England defense today that is giving up 130.8 yards per game on the ground.

With the Pats' injuries to Vince Wilfork and Tommy Kelly, teams are pressing them more in the run game, and it seems to be working.

Even better, though, is if you've kept the Packers' Eddie Lacy stashed on your bench waiting to see if Green Bay remembered that running the ball was an actual option. After a concussion slowed that discovery process, Lacy had a very solid October, rushing for 395 yards and a pair of touchdowns over four games.

Now, on Monday night, the Packers face a Bears team that is not only starting Josh McCown at quarterback, but allowing 117.3 rushing yards per game.

No matter what happens then, though, I promise things will feel more normal once we get through this week.